1. Field of the Invention
The field of this invention is portable beverage containers and more specifically vacuum-insulated portable beverage containers for carrying and dispensing liquids.
2. Description of Related Art
Various designs for portable beverage containers, including vacuum-insulated portable beverage containers, are known in the art. None have all of the advantageous features of the container of this invention. More specifically, the prior art containers do not include the same capability as this container to seal against all kinds of beverage leaks. The prior art containers also do not have the same advantageous connecting means for connecting a handle as this container. The prior art containers also do not have nesting cups which attach to and detach from the container and to one another in the same advantageous manner as this container.
According to one aspect of the invention, a beverage container has a body including a body cylinder portion and a base portion. The body cylinder portion and the base portion have complementary screw threads formed thereon and are attached to one another by the complementary screw threads. The body cylinder portion has a first open end. A liner is generally disposed inside of the body and includes an open end and an interior space for holding liquids, the interior space being vacuum-insulated for resisting heat transfer between the interior and the exterior of the liner. The open end approximately aligns with the first open end of the body cylinder. An elongated handle is attached at a first end to the base portion and at an opposing second end to the body cylinder portion with attaching means for attaching the handle to the body with a single removable fastener.
According to another aspect of the invention, a beverage container has a body with an opposing first open end and a second open end. A liner is generally disposed inside of the body and includes an open end and an interior space for holding liquids. The interior space is vacuum-insulated for resisting heat transfer between the interior and the exterior of the liner, and the open end generally aligns with the first open end of the body. A first gasket closes the space between an open end of the liner and the first open end of the body and prevents liquids from passing in between the open end of the liner and the first open end of the body. A base plug is disposed in the second open end of the body, the base plug exerting force on the liner to hold the liner in position inside of the body. A second gasket closes the space between the base plug and the second open end of the body and prevents liquids from passing in between the base plug and the second open end of the body. A stopper removably attaches to the body near the first open end of the body. A third gasket closes the space between the stopper and the first open end of the body and prevents liquids from passing in between the stopper and the first open end of the body when the stopper is attached to the body. Two drinking cups are removably attached to the body near the first open end. Each of the cups has an exterior locking groove with a top lip above the exterior locking groove and an interior locking flange. A largest radius of the top lip is larger than a smallest radius of the interior locking flange and the interior locking flange can flex to slide past the largest radius of the top lip and engage the exterior locking groove. The exterior locking groove and the interior locking flange each have a ramping surface so that when the cups are rotated relative to one another in a first direction the ramping surfaces cam, and further rotation in the first direction causes the interior locking flange to flex so that the interior locking flange disengages with the exterior locking groove.